Popular Science Monthly 



Coal Is Dear. Learn How to Burn 

 It in the Furnace 



THE many little leaks in the boilers and 

 furnaces of our homes are going to 

 cause a waste of a hundred million tons of 



Basement Cetlmg 



Sectional view of a small steam 

 heater showing necessary dampers 

 and doors for proper regulation 



coal in a year unless we do something about 

 it. The remedies for these leaks are simple 

 and it behooves all of us to give attention to 

 them this winter. 



The problem has been studied by the 

 Engineering Experiment Stations of the 



The first stages of the coking method 

 of firing in which fresh coal is spread 

 over only the front of the fire pot 



University of Illinois, and some results of 

 that study are summarized here. 



The most important single part of any 

 heater is the grate. It should be large 

 enough to allow sufficient air to feed through 



fuel 



93S 



the coals to form a highly combustible 

 mixture. The setting of the furnace should 

 be airtight to prevent too great a draft 

 when the fire is burning low. This applies 

 equally to the doors of the furnace, and 

 even the slides. Then, too, the cleaning 

 doors should be used 

 often to remove the soot 

 from the interior of the 

 heater, since the soot in- 

 sulates the water 

 from the heat of 

 the fuel. If just |i5 

 these three 

 points are >^f 

 needed, 



you can save as 

 much as twenty 

 per cent, of your 

 expenses. 



Next in importance is 

 the consideration of the 

 draft. This must be capa- 

 ble of being accurately in- 

 creased and decreased at 

 all times. This means 

 that first of all your chim- 

 ney must be airtight and 

 minus obstructions of any 

 kind. The top of the 

 chimney should be at least 

 two feet above the sur- 

 rounding objects so that 

 the wind can create a strong enough draft. 



Another point so often neglected by 

 house owners is the matter of firing. 

 Fresh coal should be shoveled only at the 

 very front of the fire bed at* first. This 

 assures the burning of the gases that escape 

 when the coal becomes heated. The gases 

 must pass over the coals on their way to the 

 chimney. After a few minutes, you can 

 spread the fresh coal 

 over the entire grate 

 area. 



Only 

 two other 

 points re- 

 main. The 

 first is that 

 all distrib- 

 uting pipes 

 should be 

 c o vered 

 with asbes- 

 tos sheet- 

 ing to prevent radiation. The second con- 

 cerns weather strips which should be at- 

 tached to all doors and windows. 



Draft is checked 

 by a defective 

 or broken joint 

 in the chimney 





Showing what may happen 

 in an offset chimney 



